Sharpening Angle Question

[Wood Doctor]

Suppose I have three chains: (1) Sharpening angle = 35 degrees; (2) Sharpening angle = 30 degrees; (3) Sharpening angle = 25 degrees.

I intend to use the saw for general purpose work which will include some felling, bucking, and limbing. Assume all three chains gave the same amount of wear and clearance above the raker. Occasionally, I may have to rip some curlies.

How is the performance of each chain going to be different? Which one do you use and recommend?

 

[Peacock]

I sharpen everything to 30deg. 35 goes dull too quick for me, and I've convinced myself the 30 outcuts 25.

 

[echoman8]

sharpening angle

I sharpen everything to 30deg. 35 goes dull too quick for me, and I've convinced myself the 30 outcuts 25.

HI,

I agree with Peacock. I believe 30 may out cut 25 in speed (slightly), but at 25 it will stay sharp longer which offsets the initial cutting speed.

At best, it is more a personal decision on priority: Do you want it to cut faster or last longer.

echoman

 

[pioneerguy600]

HI,

I agree with Peacock. I believe 30 may out cut 25 in speed (slightly), but at 25 it will stay sharp longer which offsets the initial cutting speed.

At best, it is more a personal decision on priority: Do you want it to cut faster or last longer.

echoman

+1

 

[Lakeside53]

I do everything at about (it's not all that critical) 25, unless it's for super clean wood, then I might sneak up towards 30. If I was racing, maybe I'd worry more about the "perfect angle" for speed, but I'm happier with longevity.

25 will pull less burrs than 30 on the oubound grind (if you're using a grinder). Every chain that goes thorugh the store is ground to 25.

 

[WidowMaker]

I do all 3 on one chain, cuts fast , clean and last a long time....:greenchainsaw: :greenchainsaw:


taste great...less fillin

 

[ShoerFast]

Not questioning your reasons Lake, that just seems shallow for the trees around here.

35 is extreme , fast cutting but hit some dirty bark or a dirty hallow spot and your done! (35 is a riot in green Yellow Pine (Ponderosia) and Cedar! It wont cut sharp in frozen wood, well seasoned wood or hardwoods. If you have a wood that really cuts with a 35 chain, you may also want to run shorter DG's. 35 is not the first grind you might want to try for a ripping chain.

30 will bail the hay, most of my chain lives at 30 , it also works well with green hardwoods.

25 is a frozen hardwood chain, pulls a little harder so it works better with a little taller DG's . 25 seems to make a better ripping chain.

 

[dancan]

was cutting a customer lot today , rocks don't care what angle you use , they just won't cut at any angle ask 3 of my chains

 

[Wood Doctor]

Not questioning your reasons Lake, that just seems shallow for the trees around here.

35 is extreme , fast cutting but hit some dirty bark or a dirty hallow spot and your done! (35 is a riot in green Yellow Pine (Ponderosia) and Cedar! It wont cut sharp in frozen wood, well seasoned wood or hardwoods. If you have a wood that really cuts with a 35 chain, you may also want to run shorter DG's. 35 is not the first grind you might want to try for a ripping chain.

30 will bail the hay, most of my chain lives at 30 , it also works well with green hardwoods.

25 is a frozen hardwood chain, pulls a little harder so it works better with a little taller DG's . 25 seems to make a better ripping chain.

My future strategy: Grind the 35 to a 30 when it gets dull. Leave the 25 and the 30 chains alone. Save the 25 for making curlies (I also sometimes need bowl turning stock). Seem reasonable? :greenchainsaw:

 

[echoman8]

Complicated

Who would have thunk that running a chainsaw would have gotten this complicated??????

 

[Wood Doctor]

Who would have thunk that running a chainsaw would have gotten this complicated??

Well, I guess a lot has to do with frequency of use. I am somewhere between occasional and professional in chainsaw usage rate. That's also true in my workshop where I have 10 different table saw blades, each with a different purpose, depending upon what I am cutting and how. That's even more complicated.

I must admit that it is much easier and faster to change a table saw blade than to change a chainsaw chain. Regardless, having three chains with three different sharpening angles and knowing when to use each may not be a bad idea.

I have found that the 35-degree sharpening angle works very well for green elm, and I cut a lot of that. However, as the season advances, the sap retreats, the wood dries out, and the chain cannot hold the edge very well. That means I probably need to go to a chain with 30-degree angle.

 

[SawTroll]

Not questioning your reasons Lake, that just seems shallow for the trees around here.

35 is extreme , fast cutting but hit some dirty bark or a dirty hallow spot and your done! (35 is a riot in green Yellow Pine (Ponderosia) and Cedar! It wont cut sharp in frozen wood, well seasoned wood or hardwoods. If you have a wood that really cuts with a 35 chain, you may also want to run shorter DG's. 35 is not the first grind you might want to try for a ripping chain.

30 will bail the hay, most of my chain lives at 30 , it also works well with green hardwoods.

25 is a frozen hardwood chain, pulls a little harder so it works better with a little taller DG's . 25 seems to make a better ripping chain.

I have more or less standardized on 30, also on Oregon chisel chain, where they recommend 25.

 

[echoman8]

Laziness?

I have found that the 35-degree sharpening angle works very well for green elm, and I cut a lot of that. However, as the season advances, the sap retreats, the wood dries out, and the chain cannot hold the edge very well. That means I probably need to go to a chain with 30-degree angle.

I have operated a local tree service for 12 years and have toyed with cutting angles from 5 to 25 degrees and have had some success with all angles on most woods. I do find that the 20 to 25 degree angle is much easier for me to file than 30+.

At my age convenience sometimes outweighs other concerns.

echoman